Sometimes the simplest tasks seem so hard during a tough time.  I could talk about a million examples here, but I’m going to talk about one in particular, dinner! 

Something as simple as dinner can really make your day complete or totally frustrating.  I have a few tips from personal experience on how to feel like you are doing your “job” as a parent without losing you mind and trying to be like Betty Crocker!

You can take a couple different approaches:

If you really enjoy cooking and feel like it is definitely something that you can make the time for in your current situation, than here is my suggestion:

Pick a day during the week that you like to grocery shop, if you are like me, it’s different every week, but at least it’s a starting point. 

•  Plan ahead the meals that you will make and only buy the groceries for those meals.  That will also save you a lot of money by sticking to a grocery list. 
• Then go through your menu for the week and do any preparation that you can in advance.  If you are making something that requires chopped vegetables, chop them up and put them all in zip loc bags so putting your dinner together will be a breeze. 

Next, you need to realize that casseroles are your “friend.” There are so many wholesome dinners that you can make in a one pan casserole you would be amazed.  You can make three different casseroles for the week on Sunday night and freeze them.  Then all you have to do is pop them in the oven and BAM, dinner!  I’ll have a recipe included in this post that is one of my kids’ favorites!

Finally, if you can’t make dinners all the time or you flat out don’t want to, don’t beat yourself up!  There are other ways to feed your family without going to McDonald’s every night.  Take out is just fine if you pick the right meals at the right restaurants.  Places like Boston Market and Bob Evans prepare wholesome family meals at reasonable prices that you can enjoy and feel good about giving your kids. 

You are going through a difficult transition right now and you can use some solid advice from everything from discipline to making dinner!  Don’t ever close your mind off to new suggestions.  Then just pick and choose what will work for you! Getting dinner together when you are a single parent can either be a horrible chore or an incredible bonding time with your children.

Easy Taco Bake       

Ingredients:                  

1lb ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
½ lb rotini pasta
1 tbsp. Butter
½ cup taco sauce
1 bag of nacho cheese Doritos
1 bag of shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Brown ground beef and drain, then add taco seasoning as directed on the package. (set aside)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a casserole dish combine meat, butter, taco sauce and cheese

Bake for 30 minutes

Crush bag of Doritos and layer on top of casserole!

Delicious!

Len :: Mar.20.2008 :: Caring for your Children ::

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